Šćedro

Šćedro
Native name: <span class="nickname" ">Šćedro

Šćedro from the coast of Hvar
Geography
Location Adriatic Sea
Coordinates 43°04′N 16°42′E / 43.067°N 16.700°E / 43.067; 16.700Coordinates: 43°04′N 16°42′E / 43.067°N 16.700°E / 43.067; 16.700
Total islands 1
Area 8.36 km2 (3.23 sq mi)
Highest point 112 metres (367 ft)
Country
Croatia
County Split-Dalmatia

Šćedro (Croatian pronunciation: [ʃtɕědro]) is an island in the Adriatic Sea with an area of 8.36 km2,[1] 2.7 kilometres (1.7 mi) off the south coast of the island of Hvar, Croatia, opposite the settlement of Zavala. The name comes from štedri, meaning charitable in old Slavonic, because the island offers two deep, well-protected bays for shipping.[2] The Latin name of Šćedro was Tauris from which derived the Italian Tauricola or Torcola.

According to the Hvar Statute of 1331, the island was communal property and reserved for general pasturing. The island was very fertile, and enjoys a milder climate then Hvar and, due to night dew, grain crops used to be grown here.[2]

A Dominican monastery was founded in the Bay of Mostir (1465), together with a hospice for sailors, and abandoned in the 18th century. There is an old quarry at Stare Stine, and gypsum from the island was used in the Baroque chapels of Hvar cathedral.[2]

Around 30 people live on the island in summer. The old settlements of Mostir and Nastane are now largely abandoned, except for restaurants and other tourist facilities in the summer season.

References

  1. Duplančić Leder, Tea; Ujević, Tin; Čala, Mendi (June 2004). "Coastline lengths and areas of islands in the Croatian part of the Adriatic Sea determined from the topographic maps at the scale of 1 : 25 000" (PDF). Geoadria (Zadar) 9 (1): 5–32. Retrieved 2011-01-21.
  2. 1 2 3 Island Hvar, retrieved 19 September 2009
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